Karydopita (Greek Walnut Cake) is a traditional syrup cake, loaded with crunchy walnuts and tantalizing spices. This is an easy to make syrup-soaked cake and so delicious!
Karydopita is a Greek walnut cake, but the amazing thing about this dessert is that there’s no flour in it! Topped with a simple syrup and loaded with crunchy chopped walnuts, this cake is the perfect balance of flavor and texture.
Karydopita (Greek Walnut Cake)
- Easy To Make
- Simple Ingredient List
- Delicious & Unique
Karydopita can be found at Greek bakeries, but it is such a nice treat to make at home! The syrup soaked cake, mixed with the crunchy nuttiness of the walnuts is to die for. This walnut cake is rich, decadent and perfectly spiced. If you’ve never tried Karydopita before, you’re in for a real treat!
Ingredient Notes
Cake
- Sugar – Plain granulated will do the trick!
- Butter – I used unsalted to control the sodium level. Make sure it’s at room temperature.
- Eggs – I always use large eggs when I’m baking! The eggs need to be separated and at room temperature.
- Cognac – This adds a nice hint of flavor to the cake. We are using the cognac in both the cake and the syrup to ensure we get a cohesive flavor throughout.
- Walnuts – Since this is a “walnut cake” walnuts are a must! Roughly chopped.
- Breadcrumbs – Plain or ground rusk. Use gluten free breadcrumbs, for a gluten free cake.
- Baking Powder – This will act as our leavener and give us a super moist cake.
- Spices – We are using a combination of ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, and ground cloves.
- Salt – Salt is imperative when it comes to baking
Syrup
- Sugar
- Water
- Cinnamon
- Lemon Juice
- Cognac
- Whole cloves
How To Make Karydopita
- Preheat Oven: Preheat the oven to 350°F and generously grease 9×13″ baking pan. Set aside.
- Mix Wet Ingredients: Add the sugar and butter to a large bowl and mix on medium-high speed until smooth and creamy. Add the egg yolks, one at a time, while continuing to mix. Add the cognac and mix until blended in.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In another large bowl, combine the walnuts, breadcrumbs, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and salt.
- Combine Wet & Dry Ingredients: Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until well combined and smooth.
- Add Egg Whites: Add the egg whites to another bowl and mix until stiff peaks form. Fold in the egg whites into the cake batter, a quarter at a time, with circular movements until finished.
- Bake: Pour the cake batter into the greased pan and transfer to the preheated oven. Bake for about 35 minutes, or until the cake is nicely browned. Test with a toothpick to make sure it’s baked through.
- Make Syrup: While the cake is baking, make the syrup. Add all the syrup ingredients together to a small saucepan and boil until the sugar is dissolved, stirring occasionally, over medium heat. Turn the heat down to medium-low and simmer the syrup for 5 minutes. Remove the cinnamon stick and cloves. Let the syrup cool while the cake is baking.
- Finish: As soon as the cake comes out of the oven, pour the cooled syrup over the entire cake. You could also pour hot syrup on a cool cake. Allow the cake to absorb all the syrup.
- Serve: Cut the cake into diamond shaped pieces and serve with walnut half on top and a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
FAQs & Expert Tips
FAQs
Karydopita is a flourless Greek cake made primarily from walnuts, then covered in a sweet syrup. There are many variations of this recipe, some using unique ingredients in both the syrup and cake. This is my take on a classic Greek dessert that has won the hearts of many.
Every oven is different, and what works perfectly for me might not be the case for you. Have no fear, toothpicks are here! Use a clean toothpick and poke as deep as you can into the thickest part of the cake. If it comes out clean, then your cake is all done. If there’s some batter stuck to it, add 5-10 extra minutes until the cake is fully baked.
This cake is delicious on it’s own, but when you top it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream – heaven. Perfect with a cup of coffee or tea, or enjoyed as an after dinner treat, this cake will be one you make again and again. It’s that good!
Absolutely! This cake can be baked ahead of time and stored in the fridge for up to a week, or freezer for up to 3 months. Scroll down to “Storing/Freezing” sections for full instructions.
Tips
- Make sure you use eggs that are at room temperature because they mix better with the batter and rise more easily.
- Traditionally for this cake, whole walnuts are shelled are chopped. Nuts still in their shell tend to taste fresher and are usually cheaper. While you can use this method, purchasing a bag of walnuts at the store will certainly be easier.
- Once your cake is cut, make sure to cover it airtight immediately because it can dry out quickly. I like to use a cake plate covered with a dome, or simply wrap it with plastic wrap.
- Use fresh baking powder in order to ensure your cake rises nicely. To test if baking powder is still good, spoon 1/2 teaspoon in a bowl and pour 1/4 cup of boiling water over it. Right away it should bubble up violently. If it does, it’s still good. If it doesn’t, discard it and open a new tin.
Storing
Karydopita will last up to 3 days at room temperature, in an airtight container or wrapped tightly with plastic wrap. Stored in the fridge, it will last up to 1 week.
Freezing
You can also freeze this walnut cake! Wrap it tightly with aluminum foil or plastic freezer wrap, place it in a ziploc bag and store it in the freezer for 2 to 3 months.
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Karydopita (Greek Walnut Cake)
Ingredients
Cake
- ¾ cup sugar
- ½ cup butter unsalted, at room temperature
- 7 large eggs separated, at room temperature
- ¼ cup cognac
- 3 cups walnuts roughly chopped (12 to 13oz)
- 1½ cup breadcrumbs plain or ground rusk
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 1 tbsp cinnamon ground
- ½ tsp nutmeg ground
- ½ tsp cloves ground
- ½ tsp salt
Syrup
- 2 cups sugar
- 2 cups water
- 1 stick cinnamon
- 1 tbsp lemon juice freshly squeezed
- ¼ cup cognac
- 8 whole cloves
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat the oven to 350°F and generously grease 9×13" baking pan. Set aside.
- Mix Wet Ingredients: Add the sugar and butter to a large bowl and mix on medium-high speed until smooth and creamy. Add the egg yolks, one at a time, while continuing to mix. Add the cognac and mix until blended in.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In another large bowl, combine the walnuts, breadcrumbs, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and salt.
- Combine Wet & Dry Ingredients: Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until well combined and smooth.
- Add Egg Whites: Add the egg whites to another bowl and mix until stiff peaks form. Fold in the egg whites into the cake batter, a quarter at a time, with circular movements until finished.
- Bake: Pour the cake batter into the greased pan and transfer to the preheated oven. Bake for about 35 minutes, or until the cake is nicely browned. Test with a toothpick to make sure it's baked through.
- Make Syrup: While the cake is baking, make the syrup. Add all the syrup ingredients together to a small saucepan and boil until the sugar is dissolved, stirring occasionally, over medium heat. Turn the heat down to medium-low and simmer the syrup for 5 minutes. Remove the cinnamon stick and cloves. Let the syrup cool while the cake is baking.
- Finish: As soon as the cake comes out of the oven, pour the cooled syrup over the entire cake. You could also pour hot syrup on a cool cake. Allow the cake to absorb all the syrup.
- Serve: Cut the cake into diamond shaped pieces and serve with walnut half on top and a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Recipe Notes
- Make sure you use eggs that are at room temperature because they mix better with the batter and rise more easily.
- Traditionally for this cake, whole walnuts are shelled are chopped. Nuts still in their shell tend to taste fresher and are usually cheaper. While you can use this method, purchasing a bag of walnuts at the store will certainly be easier.
- Once your cake is cut, make sure to cover it airtight immediately because it can dry out quickly. I like to use a cake plate covered with a dome, or simply wrap it with plastic wrap.
- Use fresh baking powder in order to ensure your cake rises nicely. To test if baking powder is still good, spoon 1/2 teaspoon in a bowl and pour 1/4 cup of boiling water over it. Right away it should bubble up violently. If it does, it’s still good. If it doesn’t, discard it and open a new tin.
- Karydopita will last up to 3 days at room temperature, in an airtight container or wrapped tightly with plastic wrap. Stored in the fridge, it will last up to 1 week.
- To freeze: Wrap it tightly with aluminum foil or plastic freezer wrap, place it in a ziploc bag and store it in the freezer for 2 to 3 months.
Anyone make and bake at a High Altitude? What adjustments did you use. Thanks.
We are at 3000 feet here, so no adjustments necessary. Not for this cake anyway.
Any subs for cognac?
You can just skip it.
I want to try this but I don’t want to use cognac-what non liquor liquid should I replace it with? thanks. I love your recipes
You can just make the simple syrup as directed, without the cognac. It will still be delicious from all the spices.